|
|
|
- Thread starter hoggytime
- Start date
'I love this guy': Is there a budding bromance between Ford and Sutcliffe?
Obververs say personal ties matter as premier shows visible interest in Ottawa
Arthur White-Crummey · CBC News · Posted: May 02, 2024 4:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 7 hours ago
Premier Doug Ford shakes hands with Mayor Mark Sutcliffe in Ottawa on March 28, 2024. Some observers say Ford's three visits to Ottawa in recent weeks suggest the city is looming larger on the premier's mind. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)
Over three meetings this spring, Mayor Mark Sutcliffe has presented Doug Ford with a sports jersey, a dozen doughnuts and a welcome mat — all to the premier's apparent delight.
Ford called the doughnuts "beautiful" and the mat "fantastic."
His gifts, meanwhile, were more substantive: a $543-million "new deal" for Ottawa, a $37.5-million cheque for meeting housing targets and, most recently, a new provincial office downtown.
The visits came loaded with chummy banter, as Ford repeatedly joked that he was spending too much time in Sutcliffe's basement and trying the patience of the mayor's wife. Sutcliffe said he was grateful for their "very strong and productive working relationship."
"I love this guy," Ford said, resting his hand on the mayor's shoulder. "This guy's a champ."
But how much should one read into those signals of a budding bromance between the two leaders?
While some of it is no doubt performance, some observers see promising signs that Ottawa is looming larger on the mind of a premier who values the personal touch.
Ford shows off a customized shirt that Sutcliffe gave him during the March 28 meeting. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)
Geneviève Tellier, a professor of political science at the University of Ottawa, said building relationships is a familiar feature of Ford's political style.
"Doug Ford is like that," said Tellier. "He likes to have personal ties with people, with the people that he has to work with. You see it with others, even [Toronto Mayor] Olivia Chow, where there are no natural inclinations between the two. But nonetheless you will see them together on the same stage, smiling, joking."
Even if Ford is known for his broadly friendly style, it's still important to see concrete evidence of it in Ottawa. When issues get jammed between city hall and Queen's Park, contacts at the political level can clear the way for a solution.
"Final decisions are always taken at the top," Tellier said. "So when there are some issues that are stalling, the only way to resolve those is when the leaders, those at the top, take matters in their own hands and say, OK, I want that resolved."
Premier Doug Ford receives a dozen doughnuts from Mayor Mark Sutcliffe in Ottawa on April 5. The doughnuts were produced by Maverick's Donut Company. ( Frédéric Pepin/Radio-Canada)
The early years of Ford's premiership. Tellier noted, were difficult for Ottawa. There were "tensions," she said, as former mayor Jim Watson and the premier "did not see eye to eye on several issues."
In her view, there was a perception that Ottawa no longer existed on the provincial agenda.
"It is probably easier with a new approach, a new mayor," she said.
Former mayor says new office could help cement ties
Bob Chiarelli has gotten a close look at both sides of the relationship.Ottawa's mayor between 2001 and 2006, Chiarelli was also in the provincial cabinet under Liberal premiers Dalton McGuinty and Kathleen Wynne.
He agreed that personal connections are "very important" to getting results for the city. Even before he was mayor, Chiarelli said, he learned that a friendly phone call can get the wheels of the provincial bureaucracy spinning on the city's behalf.
When the ice storm hit hard in 1998, Chiarelli headed the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton. "We were under tremendous, tremendous pressure," he recalled. But a call he placed to then-premier Mike Harris's personal number, he said, helped step up the province's response.
"I was able to connect with him, and within about five hours he had two people here on site," he said.
When he became mayor of the amalgamated city, Chiarelli said he maintained a strong working relationship with premiers of different political stripes, from Ernie Eves to McGuinty.
Former mayor Bob Chiarelli, seen here in 2022, says the 1998 ice storm cemented for him how important it was to have a personal relationship with the province's premier. (Frédéric Pepin/Radio-Canada)
One thing in particular helped, Chiarelli said: an office McGuinty set up in Ottawa, a short walk away from the mayor's office. He suspects that Ford's new regional office might have the same effect.
"The premier's new office in Ottawa will definitely help the relationship between the mayor and the premier," said Chiarelli. "A lot of people think that this is very innovative and new, but it's not."
Officials would meet at McGuinty's Ottawa office to hash out everything from transit funding to ambulance shortages, Chiarelli said.
In his view, political logjams get solved when the right people are in the right room at the same time.
"If you don't do that, then things can go astray," he said.
Cabinet departure, political calculations, likely behind visits
At Wednesday's meeting, city manager Wendy Stephenson said the recent funding deal with Ford's government has helped cement relations with her provincial counterparts on the administrative level — but she hopes Sutcliffe's ties with the premier will help back up the work of the bureaucracy."Having the mayor strengthen his relationship with the premier has also been really good as we come through this, so very positive," she said.
Tellier has a few hypotheses to explain the premier's more visible interest in Ottawa over recent weeks, and none of them involve locally-made doughnuts.
Ford might be spooked by his party's byelection loss in Kanata-Carleton, a seat previously held by Merrilee Fullerton. Her departure, Tellier said, left Ottawa with no representation at the cabinet table.
That void heightens the need for a direct line of communication, she said, while the loss might signal that the Progressive Conservatives have to pay more attention to Ottawa in a tougher political environment.
"Probably the next election will be much more competitive than the previous one," she said. "Every seat is important, and there are some seats that are winnable for the Ford government in the area."
During his most recent visit earlier this week, Ford announced a plan to open a new regional office in Ottawa. (Frédéric Pepin/Radio-Canada)
Chiarelli agreed that Ottawa's lack of cabinet representation is probably part of what prompted Ford to step into the breach.
"I think he's a bit guilty that he doesn't have ministers here, and he's got to fill in the vacant space. I think that's a big part of it," said Chiarelli.
"He was sending a strong message: I want to be a partner with you, I want to help you. Translation: I need some MPPs to be elected in your city."
Whatever the reason, Tellier said Ford's recent visits are a positive sign for a city that sometimes feels forgotten.
"We had the sense that we were under the radar at Queen's Park, and so when Doug Ford was talking about municipalities and issues around the province, we were thinking, well, he's talking about Toronto, but what's in it for Ottawa?" Tellier said.
"Three visits in a short time, that was unexpected, I would say. I think it is welcome."
L’ex-conseillère Diane Deans admise aux soins palliatifs
Par Charles-Antoine Gagnon, Le Droit2 mai 2024 à 16h52|
Mis à jour le2 mai 2024 à 18h15
Diane Deans, une ancienne conseillère municipale de longue carrière à Ottawa, a été admise aux soins palliatifs, a annoncé jeudi celle qui lui a succédé comme élue du quartier Gloucester-Southgate, Jessica Bradley.
Mme Deans lutte contre le cancer des ovaires depuis cinq ans.
«Ceux qui connaissent Diane savent qu’elle est une battante. Diagnostiquée en 2019, Diane a combattu courageusement cette maladie insidieuse et elle a été un pilier de force tout au long de son parcours. Son combat a été public et le soutien ainsi que l’effusion d’amour de la communauté l’ont maintenue forte», a mentionné Mme Bradley dans une déclaration écrite.
Diane Deans a représenté les intérêts des citoyens de Gloucester-Southgate pendant 28 ans, soit de décembre 1994 jusqu’à la fin de son dernier mandat en novembre 2022. Elle a notamment présidé la Commission de services policiers d’Ottawa et elle a siégé sur des comités de la Ville.
Le maire d’Ottawa, Mark Sutcliffe, s’est dit attristé et sous le choc.
«Diane est une pionnière pour les femmes en politique et elle est l’une des conseillères qui a siégé le plus longtemps dans l’histoire d’Ottawa. J’ai vu Diane récemment lors de la remise des prix Femmes remarquables d’Ottawa, où elle était l’une des lauréates les plus méritantes, et je lui ai parlé hier, lorsque je l’ai remerciée pour sa longue histoire de services qu’elle a rendus à notre ville. Mes pensées vont à Diane, à sa famille et à ses nombreux amis», a réagi le maire dans une déclaration sur le réseau social X.
«Elle a consacré sa vie au service public et ses contributions à sa communauté et à la ville sont innombrables», a renchéri Mme Bradley.
Hommage
Mme Bradley et le maire Sutcliffe présenteront une motion au conseil municipal pour que le Centre communautaire Greenboro soit renommé en son honneur.«Le Centre n’est qu’une des nombreuses contributions de Diane. Cette reconnaissance servira non seulement à honorer sa mémoire, mais aussi à nous rappeler à tous une femme extraordinaire qui a vraiment fait une différence», a partagé Mme Bradley.
La Société canadienne du cancer estimait qu’environ 3100 Canadiennes allaient recevoir un diagnostic du cancer des ovaires en 2023 et que bon nombre d’entre elles allaient succomber à la maladie.
:format(url)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/lescoopsdelinformation/3ECTDJUHB5D57PSBDYPPP3AURQ.jpg)
L’ex-conseillère Diane Deans admise aux soins palliatifs
Diane Deans, une ancienne conseillère municipale de longue carrière à Ottawa, a été admise aux soins palliatifs, a annoncé jeudi celle qui lui a succédé comme élue du quartier Gloucester-Southgate, Jessica Bradley.
www.ledroit.com
Not a fan of Blais, but he brings up a good point most Ottawans probably wouldn't know - the "New Deal" seems generous, but it's actually not when compared to what Toronto is getting.
ottawacitizen.com
Blais: Doug Ford’s deal for Ottawa isn’t as generous as touted
On a per capita basis, the City of Toronto is getting much more support from the premier than we are.
ottawacitizen.com
Sutcliffe went on a rant this morning about the Feds and Province short changing the City of Ottawa on a lot of key issues. I disagree on a lot of what he had to say about the Feds, but he's bang on when it comes to transit.
Sutcliffe's threat of a 7% increase still keeps us far below the other Big 6. We've been seriously restricting the City's ability to stay in a good financial standing with these irresponsibly low tax rates.
Ottawa designates city’s first water treatment facility as heritage building
Inside the building it has brass doors, which are part of the reason for the designation. (City of Ottawa)
By Natasha O'Neill
Posted Aug 6, 2024 12:33:49 PM.
Last Updated Aug 6, 2024 12:33:56 PM.
Structures dating back to over 100 years old is part of the reason the City of Ottawa designated portions of a water treatment facility as a heritage building.
At the July 10 meeting, council voted to designate the Lemieux Island Water Purification Plant. Located 2.5 kilometres west of Parliament Hill, the building sits on the border of Quebec and Ontario on an island in the Ottawa River.
“The purification plant represented a major technical achievement as the first water treatment plant in Ottawa, ensuring residents had access to clean drinking water,” the city said in a press release. “Its construction marked a pivotal moment in the history of Ottawa’s water supply system.”
The “core” of the structure is the pumping station, chemical and fire buildings, which were constructed between 1915 to 1932. According to the report to council, the areas showcase “excellent” examples of industrial building influence of the early 20th century.
The decorative walls, bronze doors and geometrical patterns throughout the building and “high craftsmanship” were part of the reasons for the designation.
Staff in the report also mentioned how ground-breaking the facility was to residents at the time due to its technical achievement cleaning water for the municipality. It had a multi-step sanitation process including chlorination.
Clean drinking water became a huge priority for the city after a 1911 to 1912 typhoid outbreak caused by pollution in the Ottawa River.
The building has been listed under the city’s heritage register since 2019 but changes to the Ontario Heritage Act resulted in council designating the property.
Not the only water facility designated
The Lemieux Island Water Purification Plant is not the only facility to be designated as a heritage structure.The Hintonburg Pumphouse, located on the mainland of Lemieux Island, is another city-owned heritage building that was built in 1899. It was replaced by the Lemieux Island facility and turned into a residence and gatehouse for the island in 1932.
It was designated a heritage structure in 1987 and two years later was destroyed in a fire. Sitting in ruins for the last several decades, the city started exploring ways to turn the small piece of Ottawa’s history into something more.
In May and June 2023 a design plan to turn the area into a public park was chosen. Construction is set to being this month.
The historical Hintonburg Pumphouse can be seen in this render. (The City of Ottawa)
Ottawa designates city's first water treatment facility as heritage building
Portions of Ottawa's first water treatment facility date back to 1917 and made an impact with many technological advancements.
ottawa.citynews.ca
Spoonsy
New Member
I went to the Lemieux Island Plant during one of the Doors Open like 7 years ago, really cool spot - unfortunately I don't think it's been opened up to the public in the last few years' events
There's some work going on at Lemieux Island and it has been closed for two years. Not sure if it's still going on at this point, but I expect the plant to be open for Doors Ottawa again sometime in the next couple years.